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Am I in the wrong?

Primarymom's picture

Background:

So, I've been raising my SS who is 6 for awhile now. In janauary BM decided to move to Kentucky we live in Cali. Prior to this year my SS has been under my care and my husbands more. She had a job that would require to live in different states and would only see him once a month. Then COVID happen and he stayed with us for 4 months straight.

He is visiting her for 6 weeks. He left on 4th of july. This week has been his second week. & I've reached out to talk to him but she doesn't answer the calls. It's quite frustrating. She wants her to give her a heads up on when to call him so, she can plan for it. I gave her monday and friday this week. Yet, monday passed and nothing happen. I understand the time difference but he has been going to sleep late until 11pm/midnight ( I just found about this today) so, I feel like she doesn't want us communicating. Today I asked the same if he can call when he had time. It was 7pm my time and it was 10pm their time and nothing! So, I decided to call and she answered and he wasn't with her. I guess he stayed with some cousins in the same complex area. Anyways, I asked if I could talk to her because I wanted to understand what was happening. She mention he wanted him to spend time with her family like with aunt, uncles, and cousins because they have never met him. Which I get it!! Yet, why couldn't she say that instead of ignoring my messages. Her excuse was that she is not good talking on the phone or replying. She prefers to talk in person. But honestly I'm not comfortable talking to her in person cause I know she can become a yeller and cusses alot. She has no problem being confrontational. And I'm good with confrontation unless it starts becoming aggressive I shut down!!

& I get that she wants him to spend time with her family but idk...I feel like she just lets him be with her family and is not even watching him because she becomes overwhelm as my SS is very needy & extroverted.

Then I was like you need to understand that this is the first time SS has been away. She asked for us to trust her. Yet, she has always been inconsistent and unstable as she doesn't follow through with her promises and is always making excuses.

She started saying how she is not a bad mom and explained to her why we couldnt trust her. I stayed quiet and didn't want to add more fuel to the fire. But I wanted to say... "YOU LEFT HIM & you couldn't even do 50% of the care when you were here" Like yes she  never hit him that I know of but come on girl...you have been inconsistent!!!  I didn't say anything again because I don't think she can understand my viewpoint.

Then she said her family is not perfect and that they are crazy and argue and what not and she wants SS to see that life is difficult and people disagree and have bad moments. That she doesnt want him to be sheltered.

Some of the stuff she said, "I'm not a bad mom" and "I don't want him to be sheltered"....I just said I wish you could just text back and mention he is safe and busy playing with his cousins. Am I wrong for wanting that? Long message but needed to vent.

 

Comments

lieutenant_dad's picture

Wrong for YOU to want this? Yes. You aren't his parent even if you act in a parental role. It takes a lot of cajones to tell a mother that you, as a SM, are uncomfortable with how she is spending her visitation with her son.

Wrong for your SO to want this? No, he should be able to talk to his son at least once a week while he is away for 6 weeks. 

What is unreasonable in all of this is wondering what BM is doing with SS. If you have a valid reason to believe he is in danger (and I mean actual danger - exposure to unlocked and loaded firearms, being babysat by a sex offender with offenses against children, that kind of danger), then call the authorities for them to investigate. However, being an inconsistent parent isn't a crime, and she should be able to spend her 6 weeks with her son without interference from her ex and his SO.

If she wants SS to spend the majority of his time with her with his maternal family, so be it. My guess is that she can't take off a full 6 weeks, so he's staying with a babysitter or going to camps or visiting family so she can work. She shouldn't be villainized for that.

I understand wanting to talk to SS, but there is ZERO reason to harrass his mother when she doesn't have him call back. Unless there is a court order saying SS HAS to be available to talk, your SO has no right to demand to speak with his son, and you especially don't have a right to. Yeah, BM has to be trusted because she has rights to her kid that a court hasn't taken away (and likely won't unless she is actively abusing him, which it doesn't sound like she is).

If you are angry that I'm telling you that you need to take a seat and stop bothering BM for phone calls and questioning her intentions with her own son because you act as the primary parent, then you need to re-evaluate your status as primary parent. Talk to your SO about taking on less with SS. Even if you want to retain your primary parent status, you need to view yourself more in the role of a foster parent than a bio parent. Your job in that role is to support SS in having healthy relationships with his bio parents because that is going to be what helps him be his best in the long run. You can't replace BM; your SO made the decision that she is mom, for better or worse. What you can do is be loving, supportive, and strong for SS. However, you also have to let his bio parents do as they see fit, whether you like it or not, unless a court says otherwise.

So sit back, decompress, and trust that SS is safe with his BM, unless you have evidence otherwise and then involve CPS or the cops. Leave SS and BM alone.

Primarymom's picture

Thank you. Sometimes is hard to see a different perspective. You were a bit aggressive not going to lie but I appreciate your honesty. Obviously, there is more to our life. I wish I didn't have the responsibility trust me!!!!!!! I wish i could just be the "foster" parent. My DH is in the military and well he is always in and out. Soon he will be going through another deployment. His BM chose for child to stay with us. She said she needed to figure out life & couldn't take him.

Yes, its not a crime to be inconsistent and unstable... I just wish I could get the respect that is all. I dont think that is unfair to ask. PARENTING is hard!!!!!!

justmakingthebest's picture

It is really hard to let go of that control when you are the "mom" day in and day out and then expected to sit down and shut up because BM decided to show up. 

As much as it sucks, we can't care more than the bio parents do. We have no rights, we have no control that our spouse doesn't give us.

Your DH needs to be the one getting the updates and at least starting the calls with your SS. He has to be the driving force for communicating with BM, not you. I am so sorry you are dealing with the heartbreak of all of this mess and dealing with BM who is just living her life and leaving you to clean up the mess when she dances away again.

Primarymom's picture

Yeah...the thing is I do have physical and legal custody of SS.

Yes, it is hard to let go. Which I am working on it.  I know my DH should be the one but the thing he is in the military so, he is under my care & im the one getting and giving the updates between them. When SS is here with me I'm the one making sure BM has a relationship with SS. I make the phone calls happen, I give her random updates, and what not.

Honestly, I just never imagined how much I would be caring for a child I didn't birth. I never expected it to be like this.

Thank you